Something Worth Living For
by Fabala93
Summary: A short rewrite of a scene from ROTK where Faramir professes his love for Eowyn. FxE


**A/N ****this is a kind of rewrite of the scene on the wall of the gardens where Faramir professes his love for Eowyn. It's a rewrite as in I've used some of the original dialogue but set it at a slightly different time. It will all make sense when you read it :)**

**Disclaimer- Bits of the dialogue I've stolen are by J R R Tolkein and lets face it its very obvious which bits are mine.**

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**Something Worth Living For**

The White Lady of Rohan gazed out over the horizon, to the place where all the hopes of the world of Men had departed. In the dingy twilight hours, a sinister red glow was visible against the cool blue of the darkening sky. She shuddered involuntarily and wrapped her thin arms, pale as snow but for the crisscrossing vein-like pattern of darkness and shadows that coursed the length of her right arm, around her slender torso, as if trying to hold herself together. Her misty blue eyes probed that horizon for any sign that would tell her which path her destiny might take. She knew that should this fool's quest prove unsuccessful, she would be enslaved or worse caged with the rest of her kind for the rest of her short life with no chance to find death and honour in battle. She also knew that even if by some miracle they should succeed, she would have to look upon Lord Aragorn and bow to him and that elf he had spoken of on the journey to Helm's Deep. No matter the outcome however, she knew this shadow, given to her by the Witch King of Angmar, would surround her until the day she died. She glanced down at the sheer drop below her to another level of this unforgiving city of stone and wondered who would miss her if she ended this suffering by throwing herself off the edge. No, that would be a cowardly death, unfit for a shieldmaiden of Rohan. But that dark thought persisted in her mind, taunting her.

"Lady Eowyn?"

She turned her head slightly and caught sight of the steward of Gondor walking towards her. He was the one that had convinced the Warden to allow her to leave her prison of a room and roam the gardens of the Houses of Healing, and for this she was very grateful, but now his presence was encroaching on thoughts and she wished to be alone. She nodded politely towards him and pointedly looked back to the rapidly darkening Eastern horizon. He walked right up to her side, causing her to frown slightly with annoyance. This filled her with guilt as this man had proved to be a caring friend to her during her time in this place and she knew his tale of how he came to be there was a sad one. At least her brother yet lived, unlike Faramir's brother Boromir. Her annoyance melted away at the look of concern in the young captain's storm coloured eyes. Although she desired no man's pity, there was something in that look that made her less empty and alone.

"My Lady, the hour grows late and the air has a chill to it. Will you not accompany me back to the houses?"

"I do not feel the cold my Lord," she lied, masking a shiver. But Faramir's keen eyes saw.

"If you will not come indoors then yet take my cloak to ward of the icy night." And with that he removed his ranger's cloak of dark green and fastened it around her shoulders before she had time to protest.

"I thank you my Lord but it is not necessary-"

"I disagree, it is most necessary. Please accept it as a gift."

They stood together in silence for several long moments, until a night dark took off from a tree behind them and startled them out of their reverie.

"If it is not too bold... May I enquire as to what you my Lady is thinking?"

"Firstly, I am wondering why we have suddenly become so formal, have I not called you by your name a hundred times and you by mine?"

He flushed slightly at this, though it was masked by the gathering dusk,

"I apologise Eowyn, I do not know what has come over me," he teased lightly, "and secondly?"

"Secondly I find myself longing to be over that horizon amongst the company of soldiers that hold our fates in their hands."

"You know you are not yet fully healed..."

"That does not matter. Were I heading for battle at this very moment I would not wish to return alive."

"Eowyn! Do not say such things!"

He turned her around by her shoulders to face him, worry and care now evident on his face. She tilted her proud chin upwards in defiance.

"Why not? Tell me, what reason do I have to live? My uncle is dead, my country is in ruins and I will never be free of this shadow that hangs over me. All I had left was one last opportunity to die in battle and now even that has been robbed from me," she said bitterly.

"Surely you must have something worth living for..."

"Like what? Nobody cares whether I live or die."

"Your brother cares, your people care... I care..." He almost whispered the last part and looked away quickly but something rang true in his words, making her eyes widen and her mouth hang open slightly in shock. Never before had any man, other than her relatives and Grima Wormtongue, ever professed to care for her and the sensation this caused was not altogether unpleasant. She was suddenly very aware of how close his body was to hers, the tender look in his eyes. She felt herself drawing closer to him through no conscious thought until her lips were mere inches from his. She looked up at him and saw a look of uncertainty that must have mirrored her own, never had she been so close to anyone. Then without warning he closed the distance between them and kissed her gently, as if waiting for her to draw away and leave. But something inside of her changed and knew this felt right, this was how she was meant to be. She reciprocated the kiss with more passion, winding her arms desperately around his broad shoulders, feeling his hands on the small of her back holding her close to him. She broke away slightly and looked deep into his eyes with a look of wonder and joy.

"No more do I feel the shadow pressing down on me. No longer do I search for death in battle or take joy in slaughter. I do not desire honour and glory through any means from this day on."

"That is well as I can provide neither for you," he smiled lovingly down at her, "but I do love you, Eowyn, White Lady of Rohan, and I will do everything in my power to see thee joyful for the rest of our days. I will wed you, if that is what you wish and we shall dwell at Emyn Arnen and restore the long neglected gardens."

"I love you also, Faramir, Steward of Gondor and Prince of Ithilien, and I will wed thee joyfully, but must I leave my people? And would you have your proud folk say, there goes a Prince of Gondor, who tamed a wild shieldmaiden from the north. Was there no woman of the race of Numenor to choose?"

"I would." He replied and he kissed her tenderly, as a great sigh seemed to go up from the earth itself and everywhere they were surrounded by a feeling of lightness and joy. If they had been watching the horizon, they would have seen the fiery red glow disappear for good.

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**Please R+R! :)**


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